Mustansiriya Madrasa

The Mustansiriya was founded in 1233 by the caliph al-Mustansir and was unusual for its time in teaching all four schools of Sunni law under one roof, with a library, a hospital and a kitchen, endowed to support students from across the Islamic world. The building is a long rectangular courtyard with two storeys of arcaded cells around it, brickwork worked into geometric and calligraphic panels, and iwans on the axes; a water clock is recorded as having stood at the entrance. It survived the fall of Baghdad in 1258 and later served as a caravanserai and customs house before restoration returned it to something like its original form. It stands directly on the river beside the old bridge, and a visit takes an hour.

What you actually see

• The arcaded courtyard - two storeys of student cells around the court.
• Decorative brickwork - geometric and calligraphic panels in the walls.
• The iwans - the vaulted halls on the axes of the courtyard.
• The river frontage - the building standing directly on the Tigris.

When to go

November to March; the courtyard is exposed and Baghdad summers are extreme. Mornings are best for light in the court. Opening hours can be irregular.

Honest expectations

The interior is bare, with no furnishing or displays, so the interest is architectural. Interpretation is minimal. Opening is not always reliable. The surrounding old quarter is congested and parts are in poor repair.

Nearby

The Abbasid Palace lies nearby; Mutanabbi Street is south.